Anesthesia & Clinical Research
Open Access

Abstract

Local Anaesthesia Efficacy as Postoperative Analgesia for Open Shoulder Instability Surgery: A Prospective Randomised Controlled Study

Fontana Costantino, Di Donato A, Lancia Fabrizio, Costantini Alberto, De Vita Andrea, Caricati Alessio and Rocco Monica

Background and objectives: The aim of present study was to evaluate for the first time, the clinical effect of local anaesthetic infiltration as postoperative analgesia in open shoulder surgery for anterior-inferior instability. The comparison of the local infiltration and interscalenic brachial plexus block to a control group test the local anaesthetic efficacy in this surgery. Methods: 78 patients scheduled for open shoulder surgery were enrolled and randomly assigned to one of three groups: local infiltration anaesthesia (LIA), interscalenic brachial plexus block (IBPB) and control (C). All patients received standardized general anaesthesia and all injections were performed with the same dose and volume of anaesthetic. The number boluses delivered by a PCA pump applied at the end of surgery and the visual analogue score (VAS) at 0, 2, 4, 6, 12, 18 and 24 hours after intervention were recorded. A patient satisfaction score was also assessed.